That was different, he supposed. Missing a father wasn’t the same as being forced to drink blood. He couldn’t imagine a life where he didn’t know who his father was. Or not seeing him every day.
There was nothing in life more important to him than his family. And in particular, he valued his parents. Both of them.
But all in all, Katra was an odd bit of fluff, with some rather peculiar thoughts. Urian scowled at her. “And I prefer not to torture myself with thoughts over what I don’t have or what I’m missing. Life’s too willing to do it for me.”
“Dark much?”
He snorted at her sarcasm. “Hard to be light and fluffy when you’re banished to a hell realm.”
Katra paused to consider that. “You’ve never seen daylight, have you?”
He glanced past her to Apollymi, who watched them with a disturbing intensity. How he wished he could read her thoughts. Or Katra’s at the moment. “Only through the goddess’s mirror.”
“Wow. I’m sorry.” Katra appeared to actually mean it.
Urian shrugged before he spoke an absolute truth. “Don’t be. I’d rather not see daylight than be stuck serving Artemis.”
Katra gaped at his insult. “Ouch! I can tell we’re going to get along not at all.”
“Fine with me.” He turned toward Apollymi and offered her a quick bow. “If you’ll excuse me, akra?”
Katra watched Urian leave and shook her head.
“Is something wrong?” Apollymi asked.
“Why didn’t you tell him we’re cousins?”
“For the same reason no one needs to know you’re my granddaughter, Katra. Of secret things, we are silence. As much as I hate your mother, we have to protect Artemis’s reputation in order to protect my son. Therefore, Strykerius is never to know that you’re Apollo’s niece.”
And still there was another matter that disturbed her as Katra stared after the peculiar Apollite who’d left them.
“For goodness’ sake, child. What else is on your mind?”
Katra tilted her head. “Why does Urian look so much like my father?”
Apollymi scoffed. “They say Urian is the image of Strykerius.”
She scoffed at that explanation. “I’ve seen Stryker. Aside from his blond hair and carriage, there’s only passing similarity between them. But I’ve seen my mother watching after my father enough to know hiseveryfeature. While I’ve never seen Acheron in the flesh, I know the line of his jaw, the shape of his nose and eyes. The fine arch of his brows. And he and Urian could be twins. The only difference is that Urian’s skin is a bit darker in tone.”
“Because his mother’s Egyptian.”
The news shocked Katra, who’d had no idea of Urian’s real mother. “Pardon?”
Apollymi froze as she realized the unintentional slip she’d made. But it was easy to do. She spent so much time alone that she wasn’t used to having to guard her tongue or censor herself. And here she was telling Katra to be careful …
“Nothing. Just remember what I said. Speak of nothing said here. Keep to yourself.”
“Believe me, I’m good at that. I have to be to protect my matisera from the other gods.”
Apollymi pulled Katra against her and hugged her. “You should let me kill Artemis. For all our sakes. Cut her throat while she sleeps.”
“Yaya! I can’t do that! I do love her.”
Those words wrested a deep-seated groan from her. “Why?” she groused. “She’s completely unlovable.”
“Not to me. Besides, there are many who think the same of you and it’s completely untrue. And speaking of which, I need to get back before she misses me. She’ll die if she ever learns I come here to see you.”
“Good! Should I send her a basket to thank her for your visits?”
